Local government is the closest level of government for rural communities and plays a vital role in service provision.
For the purpose of this submission, GrainGrowers will focus on the role of local government as road managers.
GrainGrowers is deeply concerned that the current road funding model is failing rural councils, limiting the capacity of rural local governments to manage their road networks and impacting local government sustainability in many regional areas.
A well-maintained road network is imperative for the efficient and safe transportation of grain. Rural councils in grain growing regions across Australia, however, often face a significant challenge in managing and maintaining their extensive road networks in the face of increasing climate variability, lower rater bases and long-term cost shifting.
Given the scale of additional funding required, it is vital the Commonwealth Government increase the financial assistance grants, increase the Roads to Recovery Program and provide targeted climate adaptation funding.